And welcome back to the cover three podcast here on CBS Sports Network.

That's Bud Elliott.

That's Danny Cannell.

That's Tom Furnelli.

I'm Chip Patterson coming to you live from

Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas, Nevada. Day three of the event as we are looking ahead to the

2025 college football season fired up from what we got on tap for you. We are scheduled to have

a visit from UCLA head coach Deshawn Foster from USC head coach Lincoln Riley we'll hear from

Luke fickle the Wisconsin head coach Dan Lannning the Oregon head coach oh yeah UCLA quarterback

Nico Ia Malieva I mean maybe we'll get to talk at some point you'll see but you know as

we sit here and look ahead at what we've got on tap now what really stands out what are you about? I think I'm so excited that the Big Ten is going to be more competitive this year. Last year, I was really sure we'd get four teams in because I thought like the bottom half of this league was not going to pull many upsets. This year, I think we have more good games in store boys. Like a lot of these teams and that kind of middle tier of the conference look to be materially improved. And I'm excited about it. I think this season, it's not only the Big Ten, I mean, outside of the ACC, every conference, you can make a case for three, four, five teams to potentially win the conference. There's so many question marks. And I think that's been the theme here. There's a lot of excitement. There's a lot of potential of what teams could be.

You're talking about getting better, taking that next step forward. So that's what excites me is the wide open nature of this conference. Yeah, there's mystery to this season that we typically just haven't had a lot of in the Big Ten because even with the favorites, with your Ohio states, your Oregon's and your Penn States, like Penn State, we know has everybody coming back, but Ohio State has a new quarterback.

Oregon has a new quarterback, Michigan has a new quarterback. So there's a lot of turnover at a lot of the top team. So even you're talking about like that second tier, bud, the top tier is the same way. So it's just everybody feels a little closer to each other. And I really don't know what's going to happen. and that's just a fun way to go into a season. Yeah, speaking of that top tier, before we get out of here today, we will be holding everyone's feet to the fire. We're going to get some expert picks who's going to be playing in the Big Ten title game and who's going to win the Big Ten in 2025. I know that this is a little bit incomplete because we continue to have these conversations. We still continue to learn a lot

about the teams that we've been. 10 in 2025. I know that this is a little bit incomplete because we continue to have these

conversations. We still continue to learn a lot about the teams that we've got. I guess Tom,

you first, what is a team for positive or negative that you feel like you have changed your

opinion on just in the last couple of days since arriving in Las Vegas.

I mean, there could be some recency bias because we were just interviewing USC offensive tackle Elijah

Page. But I'm coming around. I mean, you're our USC hype man. And I don't want to take

your job from you. But I do feel like I'm getting a little more kind of sense of confidence

about the children's from their players, from the coaches and from people I've talked to than I had coming here. So I think USC is somebody that's kind of climbing up my radar. I was kind of bullish on Illinois. And then when we talk to their squad, I feel even better about it. Luke Altmeyer. I still think he's one of the MVPs of the week for the conversation that we had with him, the impressive nature of the way he handled things. I loved Coach Beelma's mindset here. He came, had some fun, let his play. He trusts his guys to handle themselves and not get into trouble here. It came in for multiple days. So I almost feel better about Illinois because a lot of people are pegging them to be that dark horse, potentially that four team to get in the playoffs. So I actually feel a little bit better about them. Danny kind of stole my answer there with Illinois. Like they have grown men talking to us. Like it didn't seem like we were talking to young adults or kids. Like those guys are very mature. I'll go to Nebraska. We got to recall like the upgrade they had in coordinator, I think on office coordinator, is one of the biggest in the entire country. Obviously, we heard Dylan tell us a lot about Dane Key, the receiver, and kind of becoming besties with him. I think they're probably going to have to score a lot of points, but I think Nebraska will have a chance to score a lot of points in this league and be improved this year. And Tom Frenelli, you changed clothes.

We are pleased to welcome to the set here, UCLA coach DeShon Foster. Second year in a row,

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